An infrared remote controller is widely used now as a remote control apparatus to control a machine or an electronic apparatus from a distance. It performs desired control remotely on a machine or an electronic apparatus, by transmitting infrared beams modulated by control data toward an infrared receiving unit of the machine or electronic apparatus. When an infrared remote controller is used, controllable range is limited to a range within less than about ±5 degrees in upper, lower, left and right directions from the direct front, which is determined by the spreading extent of infrared beams, and within a distance of about 5 to 10 meters, which is determined by the reaching distance of infrared beams.
Such an infrared remote controller is attached to every kind of apparatus because of its operation convenience. For example, it is provided to customers by being attached to a television, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) recorder/player, audio system, air conditioner, lighting apparatus, camera, game machine, personal computer and the like. Further, as an apparatus provided for the purpose of integrating infrared remote controllers attached to so many apparatuses into a single controller, there are apparatuses called a learning remote controller and a multi remote controller.
In recent years, not only communication-related apparatuses but also many other kinds of apparatuses such as AV (Audio Visual) and control apparatuses have come to be connected to a network. For example, with a home network being built in a home, and AV apparatuses such as a television, a DVD recorder/player, and an audio system, or control apparatuses such as an air conditioner, a lighting apparatus and a security system being connected to the home network, these apparatuses can be controlled from outside the home.
Patent document 1 discloses a technology of a remote control apparatus which remotely controls an apparatus via a network by capturing images of apparatuses connected to the network, and, when controlling an apparatus, displaying the captured image on a display unit and selecting the desired apparatus. Further, the remote control apparatus can remotely control a plurality of different kinds of apparatuses by itself alone.
When capturing an image of an apparatus to be an object of remote control, the remote control apparatus disclosed in patent document 1 acquires apparatus-specific information in the form of infrared signals from the apparatus itself, and stores it in a memory relating it to the captured image. During remote control, when a user selects a desired apparatus from images displayed on the display unit, a user interface, an operation control program and apparatus-specific information corresponding to the selected image are retrieved. Then, a user interface for controlling the apparatus to be an object of the remote control is displayed on the display unit, and the remote control apparatus makes a connection to the apparatus connected to the network, using a wireless communication means and on the basis of the apparatus-specific information. Subsequently, the user can remotely control the apparatus connected to the network by performing operations based on the user interface displayed on the display unit of the remote control apparatus.
Patent document 2 discloses a technology of a control system for remote control which a user wears on his/her head and which is equipped with an image-capturing device for capturing an image of an area within his/her sight. This control system also can remotely control a plurality of different kinds of apparatuses by itself alone.
The control system disclosed in patent document 2 recognizes a control-object apparatus on the basis of image information obtained by the image-capturing device, triggered by the control-object apparatus's entering the user's sight, and of identification information stored in a storage device, and sends an operation command inputted by the user to the control-object apparatus. Accordingly, this control system can automatically identify a control-object apparatus entering the user's sight and then remotely control the control-object apparatus. Further, the user inputs an operating command by pointing on a virtual controller displayed on a semi-transparent type optical element which is provided in the control system he/she wears.
Patent document 3 discloses a technology of a remote control apparatus which makes possible remote control of a plurality of objective apparatuses without adding any function to the control-object apparatuses.
The remote control apparatus disclosed in patent document 3 captures an image of a control-object apparatus, extracts a letter string from the captured image, and thereby identifies the control-object apparatus from among a plurality of objective apparatuses. Then, the remote control apparatus sets each button of an operation unit according to the specified control-object apparatus, and displays an operation method of the operation unit on a liquid crystal display unit. Here, the remote control apparatus uses conventional infrared beams in the remote control of the identified apparatus. Accordingly, in the technology disclosed in patent document 3, an artifice such as of providing a remote control apparatus for relaying is made in order to expand the controllable range.